Iced Tea
by Zohh
Summary: "So do you," Mrs. Lopez had said, and that's when it hit Brittany.


**Author's note: **Takes place right after the finale.

* * *

They stepped into the Lopez house, closing the door behind them and blocking out the ungodly heat of the day. Santana sighed, dropping her keys on a side table by the front door.

"Mija, is that you?"

"Yeah, ma. It's me and Britt."

Maribel Lopez walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands off with a dishtowel. "How was it?"

Santana sighed again, only with less exasperation. "We saw Berry off at the train station; she's on her way to New York. Finn tried to run after the train and cried like a baby when it was out of sight."

Brittany giggled at the last part and then composed herself. "Quinn looked super happy, though. I'm glad they're friends now."

Mrs. Lopez nodded and Santana mimicked her mother's movements. They were silent for a moment before Mrs. Lopez said, "If you two are going to go upstairs, leave the door open."

"Seriously?" Santana muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Seriously, mija."

"Whatever. C'mon, Britt. We can just watch a movie or something," Santana started walking towards the the carpeted staircase.

"Wait, San, I'm thirsty. Can we get a drink first?"

Mrs. Lopez paused before heading back into the kitchen and turned around. "Go on ahead upstairs, Santana. I just made some iced tea; I'll get Brittany a glass."

Santana shrugged and walked up to her room, leaving her door ajar. Brittany followed Mrs. Lopez into the kitchen, leaning back against the white counter-top while the older woman grabbed the glass pitcher full of tea from the refrigerator. She reached up into a cabinet, pulling out a cup that said "Britt-Britt" in purple letters with hearts and stars around it. Brittany smiled.

"I remember when you and San made these cups," Mrs. Lopez said fondly, filling it up with the iced tea and handing it to Brittany.

"After we won our first Cheerios competition," Brittany said, taking a sip.

Mrs. Lopez didn't bother waiting for a silence to consume them. "What are your plans for next year, Brittany?"

"Um, well, I have to redo my senior year. So I'm gonna' do that. I wanna' get better grades to I can go to college, like Santana."

"You know she won't leave Lima; not without you." Mrs. Lopez said, pouring herself a glass of tea.

Brittany furrowed her brow. "She can't do that. She has to go to college."

"She wants to follow her dreams. Go to New York like that Rachel Berry." Mrs. Lopez set her glass down on the counter. "You're a part of her dreams, Brittany. Whatever she does, she wants to do it with you."

"She can't stay in Lima just because of me," Brittany said, shaking her head. "San needs to get out of here."

Mrs. Lopez clasped her hands together and said, "So do you."

Before Brittany could say anything else, Santana called down from her room, "Britt! Are you coming?"

"Go," Mrs. Lopez glanced up to the staircase with a smile. Brittany took her cup with her and walked out of the kitchen, bounding up the stairs to Santana's room.

"What was that all about?" Santana asked when Brittany walked into the room.

"Nothing," Brittany said simply, taking another sip from her cup.

"I heard you and my mother talking." Santana crossed her arms, sitting down on her bed. Brittany sat down next to her. "I'm not leaving you," Santana said.

"Remember when you showed me that money your mom gave you after graduation?" Brittany asked, turning to face her girlfriend. Santana nodded. "What are you going to do with it?"

"I-I don't know. Maybe after you finish senior year we-we can go to New York and-"

"No." Brittany said. "You can't stay in Lima just because of me."

Santana's hands started trembling and Brittany held on to them. "I'm not going anywhere without you, Britt."

"You need to get out of Lima," Brittany pointed out. _"So do you,"_ Mrs. Lopez had said, and that's when it hit Brittany. "I'll go with _you_."

"What? But Britt, you need to-"

"Let me finish, Santana." Brittany took a breath and looked up. "You have to go to college and get out of Lima. I can do my senior year again at a different school, one near your college."

Santana pieced everything together. "You mean...live off campus together while I go to college and you finish high school?"

"Yeah!" Brittany grinned. "And, San, I know you wanna' go to New York. But try college first. Please?"

It took nearly five minutes before Santana said "Okay," and Brittany squealed, falling on top of her in a frenzy of smiles and kisses. From downstairs in the kitchen, Maribel Lopez could hear their entire conversation, and she smiled approvingly.


End file.
